Latch construction



l.. A. DEXTER LATCH CNsTRUcTIoN July 22, 1924. 1,502,022

Filed dan. 5, 1922 www L 5 67 l 3 fg V d v- 22 y? Inuenor -2l l f rgb. 19 LucxenADexfer i?. Na

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LUCIEN A. DMTER, 0F GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

LA CONSTRUCTION.

Appucaaqn med January s, 1922. serial no. 526,465.

certain new and useful Improvements inl Latch Constructions; and do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This' invention relates to a latch construction, being chieHy concerned with a simple and economically constructed latch for use on screen doors and the like, though not limited in use tol any particular vtype of door. The primary object and purpose of the present invention is to produce a latch construction which is of -relatively simple construction, may be very easily installed in place -when it is to be used without employment of skilled labor, and which consists of few easily manufactured andassembled parts, the assembly rrequiring-.no tool or machine work for its accomplishment, all tending to economy in manufacture of the latch construction. A further object of the invention is to make a latch construction and provide the same with simple and novel means for manually actuating the latch bolt. Various other objects and purposes than those stated will appear fully as understanding of the invention is had from the follbwing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is an' elevation ofthe complete latch, including the operating handle and' escutcheon plateT- Fig. 2 is a like view, said handle and escutcheon late being removed.

Fig. 3 1s -a rear Velevation of the handle and escutcheon plate detachably associatedl with the other parts of the latch.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section through the latch proper, showing the latch bolt in outerposition.

Fig. 5 is a like view with the latch bolt retracted.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged horizontal section through the complete assembled latch con-- struction as it appears when applied to a door, and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspectivelof the ,bolt operating member of the latch, w.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the di'erent figures of the drawlng.

In the construction of the latch, a cylindrical housing or casing 1, of sheet metal is used, one end being open and. preferably formed with an outwardly extending annular Harige 1, While the other end is suficiently closed that a coiled spring 2 placed within the housing is held from passing out at said end. A latch bolt is slidably mounted in the housing, consistingA of an enlarged cylindrical outer head 3 slightly less in diameter than the inner diameter of the housing 1 and formed at its outer end with a cam -side 4, from which head an integrally formed attened bar 5extends inwardly as shown. An opening 6 is made through the bar 5 and into the rear portion of this opening a lug 7 extends, having its sides located at an angle to the axis of the bolt,

so that lug 7 comes to a point and in effect has two opposite cam sides, the use .of which will later appear. At the inner end the bolt terminates in a disk 8 substantially filling v the housing across it and bearing against one end of the spring 2. the opposite end of which bears against the partially closed inner end of the housing. The tendency of the spring is to hold the latch bolt outwardly so that its outer head 3 is projected beyond the open outer end of the housing.

The housing 1 -has circular openings in opposite sides throughwhich, and the opening 6 in the bolt a substantially c` lindrical operating member is designed to e passed. This cylinder 9 is of sheet metal and has opposed openings 10 cut therethrough beinwardly in the door from its free vertical i edge so that the housingl may be inserted therein. Likewise a transverse cylindrical opening 16 is ting across the opening 15. The housing 1 is laced in the opening 1 5, spring 2' and the atch bolt in the'-housi'ng and with the bolt pressed inwardly as far as necessary,

vthe cylindrical operating member 9 is passed through the bolt, sides of the housing 1Y the door. formed with two inwardly projecting lugs inwardly extending 50 ing manually whenever desired..

andthe opening 16 through the door. On

release of the bolt, is moves outwardly, and the lug 7 asses through an opening 10 made through t e side of member 9. 'lihis locks 5 the operating member 9 against displacement, and holds the bolt against outward detachment from the housing. l

A combined escutcheon plate and'operating handle is connected to the door at one 1o end of the member 9. rPhe platel may be o of any suitable design, and is designed to f be secured to the door by screws or like' fastening means. At its central portion an opening is made with inwardly pressed 15 flange ortions 18 from. the escutcheon plate aroun it. An operating handle 19 is rotatably mounted with respect to the late, passing through the central opening t erein, and having two spaced apart annular 2o projecting portions 20 and 21 betweemwhich the part 18 of the escutcheon plate is located to permanently secure Ithe plate and handle together and prevent disconnection of the handle when the plate is once attached to At its inner end the handle 19 is bolt inwardly, irrespective of the direction of turning of rthe member 9 so as to Vwithdraw the bolt completely into the housin 1. lt is apparent that in practice this latc bolt is designed to enter -a keeper of proper my ,design made in the door casing, as is usual in latches of thisl kind, and on this withdrawal of the latch bolt, the door is freed to open. 0n closing the door, the cam end 4: ofthe bolt rides over the keeper and into engagement therewith in the usual manner, being normallyv projected outward y by the spring 2. Accordin ly the latch is automatic in its .action in c o/sing and may be readily moved to 'freegthe door fory open- It is apparent also that the escutcheon plate and connected. handle lever 19 may be attached at either side of rthe door 'so that the latchis available in anyplace it is n ecessary to use it `and there 1s no necessity of makin several patterns of the same,

i asrights and efts for different sides of the door. The construction is relatively simple, easily manufactured and assembled, and is durable and substantial, fully capable of withstanding all service demanded from it. The -appended claims define the invention Y and liconsider myself entitled to all forms of construction coming within the scope nsoaoaa li claim:

\1. ln a latch construction, an elongated housing open at one end, a spring located within the housing adjacent the opposite end, a latch bolt slidably mounted within the housing and formed with an outer end cylindrical head at its end formed-with a cam surface from which a flat bar extends inwardly and terminates in an inner end disk bearing against said spring, said bar having an opening therethrou h into the rear portion of which a lug havlng inclined sides projects, a cylindrical operating member passing through opposite sides of the houslng and the opening in said bar portion of the bolt, said operating member having openings in opposed sides between its ends and said lug extending fthereinto, an in- `wardly pressed rib on the operating-member, and a handle member provided with two spaced apart lugs for entering an end of the operating meinber, one at each s'ide of the'.V

rib, whereby said operating member may be turned to retract the bolt, substantially as described.

2. 1n a latch construction, an elongated Cylindrical housing open at one end, a latch bolt'slidably mounted within the housing and having an opening therethrough between its ends; a pointed lug having inclined sides projecting into the opening at the rear end thereof, a cylindrical operating member passing through opposite sides of the housing and the opening in the bolt, saidv operating member having openings in opposed sides through which the lug passes, and means for turning the operating member about its central longitudinal axis, substantially as described.

3. In a latch construction, an elongated housing open at one end, a latch bolt slidably fmounted within the housin spring means located between one end o the bolt and an end of the housing tending to project the latch bolt artiallyout of the houslng at its open en a cylindrical operating member having an opening in one side between its ends passing through the'housing and bolt, a lug on the bolt normally extendlving into the opening in said cylindrical member, andl means for manually turning said member whereby the said lug acts to retract the bolt against the spring through its engagement with the sides of the opening in the member irrespective of the direction of turning of the member.

4r. l[n a latch construction, an elongated housing open at one end, a latch'bolt slidably mounted within the housing and having an openin therethrough between its ends, into whic opening, at the rear end thereof, a pointed lug having inclined sides extends, a cylindrical .operating member passin through the housin vat opposed sides erect and also tltn'oug` the opening nos ating member ateitherend thereof for turning the same manually about its longitudinal axis to thereby retract the bolt, substantial-ly vas described.

5. In a latch construction, an elongated sheet metal housing open at one end, a locking bolt slidabl mounted within the housing and adapte to be projected at the open end thereof, said bolt having an' openlng therethrou h between its ends and inc uding a pointed ug having inclined sides extending into the rear portion of said opening, a rotatably mounte operating member passin through opposite sides of the housing l an the opening in said bolt, means for manually turning said operating 'member about its axis, and means for pressing the lug against the operating member, said member engaging with the lug and on its rotation in either direction acting on the lug to retract the bolt against sald pressingA through the opening in the bolt and having v an opening in its side into which said lug passes, said cylindrical member being rotatable about its longitudinal axis, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature.

LUCIEN A. DEXTER. 

